Give Ear to My Words - Alma 37 (Lesson 29 Part 2)

Alma 37

I didn't mention it in my last post so I will here. Please read the chapter being discussed either before hand or while you are reading this post; it will help immensely in understanding it. You can use your own scriptures or simply click the link at the beginning of the post...on to the discussion of Alma 37.

In this chapter Alma continues to teach Helaman repeating a few times earlier teachings for emphasis - primarily to obey the commandments and you will prosper in the land. This chapter also has Alma passing down a few very sacred duties to his son.

In the first few verses we read that Alma is entrusting Helaman with the care of the plates that have been handed down since Lehi and Nephi. Alma takes the time to explain that by such little things can great things be accomplished. Hindsight is 20/20 - we know how important the plates are now but it is hard to say how trivial they may have seemed to people in Alma's time. Alma certainly saw contemporary importance to his people as he points out that the words on the plates had been used to teach his own people and that they were used when the sons of Mosiah preached to the Lamanites bringing many converts.

6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.
7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.
8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.
9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.
10 And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?

After entrusting Helaman with the plates, Alma again reminds Helaman to obey the Lord adding that if he doesn't he will be 'cut off from his presence'. Alma also states again that the purpose of keeping the plates is a wise purpose to the Lord and reiterates how the plates have already been useful in converting Lamanites. He reminds Helaman that the Lord has promised to preserve the plates for future generations and that the Lord has promised to take care of those that follow his counsel. Alma also gives Helaman a warning that this important calling can be taken from him if he falls into iniquity and that Satan does not preserve those that follow him:

14 And now remember, my son, that God has entrusted you with these things, which are sacred, which he has kept sacred, and also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him, that he may show forth his power unto future generations.
15 And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophecy, that if ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things which are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind.
16 But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these things which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth command you, (for you must appeal unto the Lord for all things whatsoever ye must do with them) behold, no power of earth or hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words.
17 For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers.
18 For he promised unto them that he would preserve these things for a wise purpose in him, that he might show forth his power unto future generations.

Alma exhorts and commands Helaman to be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord. I have lost count of how many times he has done this in the last 2 chapters. This is Alma's good son if you will. The next 2 chapters Alma will be talking to his other sons. Why do you suppose Alma is repeating this so often to a son that is already obedient? Why do our modern prophets repeat the same lessons to us time after time?

Helaman is also entrusted with the 24 Plates and the Urim and Thummim, calling them interpreters. The 24 plates are the history of the Jaredites that were brought to the Americas during the Tower of Babel fiasco. These plates are a dark contrast to what has been written in the Plates of Nephi. These are a people that fell into secret works and combinations. Helaman is told to preach only holiness to the people and keep the dark secrets from the people. Alma demonstrates to Helaman that this promised land is also a cursed land. It is important for us to remember that every blessing is a 2 sided coin - rather it always has a cursing to go with it. Secret combinations will later cause the downfall of the Nephites as well and we are heavily warned of them in the latter parts of the Book of Mormon. We are told that they will be abundant in the Last Days.
Note that Alma tells Helaman 3 times to keep the secret oaths safe and to teach the people to have "everlasting hatred" to sin:

27 And now, my son, I command you that ye retain all their oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall keep from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure they should fall into darkness also and be destroyed.

29 Therefore ye shall keep these secret plans of their oaths and their covenants from this people, and only their wickedness and their murders and their abominations shall ye make known unto them; and ye shall teach them to abhor such wickedness and abominations and murders; and ye shall also teach them that these people were destroyed on account of their wickedness and abominations and their murders.

32 And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity.

Helaman is told a few times that the land is curse to any that work in darkness:

28 For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness, according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe; therefore I desire that this people might not be destroyed.

31 Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe.

Helaman is commanded to preach faith, repentance, meekness, and to rely on their faith in Christ to withstand temptations, to "never be weary of good works", and again counsels Helaman to learn wisdom in his youth (must be kind of important).

Helaman is given charge of the Liahona, the name given to the compass that was given to Lehi. This Liahone worked by faith and diligence to keeping commandments. Alma understands this to be an object lesson of spiritual matters and teaches that like following a compass is easy but because of the easiness we may get slothful. He compares it to the Israelites that wouldn't 'look and live' when attacked by the serpents:

44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.
46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.
47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.

Looking to God requires that we have faith and hope or in others words we look and see the path and hold onto the iron rod so we can live or reach the tree of life.
The path is the way (faith), the iron rod is the truth(hope), and the tree is the love of God or charity, demonstrated by the ultimate sacrifice through Christs Atonement.
John 14:6

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Alma 38:9

And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.

Give Ear to My Words - Alma 36 (Lesson 29 Part 1)

In Alma 36, Alma is speaking to Helaman giving fatherly advice to his son. I want to disect and discuss. This is frequently the method that I use in teaching and studying the scriptures.

1 My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.
2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions.
3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.

First Alma, in verse 1, invites his son to listen: Give ear to my words. Alma then promises Helaman that if he keeps the commandments he will prosper in the land.

In verse 2 we are reminded that gratitude is a great way to remain humble. And a great way to remember the Lord and his works is to look at the past. Yet another good reason to read the scriptures: remembrance -> gratitude -> humility -> prayer -> blessings ->rinse and repeat.

The third verse Alma is again beseeching Helaman to listen to him; after all he is young and you can save yourself a lot of problems if you listen when you are younger. Older persons can learn to live the gospel just fine, but a lot of pain and anguish can be avoided if you learn in your youth.

Alma learned the hard way and he recounts the visit he and the sons of Mosiah had with an angel while they worked hard at destroying the Church. The angel spoke with a thunderous voice so much so the earth shook and they fell to the ground. They are told to stop their work against the Church of God and Alma recounts this:

12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments.
14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.
16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.

Alma describes vividly the pain he was experiencing. So much so that he wished he never existed becoming "extinct both soul and body". Clearly Alma wants his son, Helaman, to avoid any degree of pain. He is trying to get a message across and he continues to tell of his experience from that point.

Alma remembers during this horrifying experience the teachings of his own father about Christ and his atoning sacrifice that was to take place, making repentance a possibility. He then cries out to Christ pleading for mercy. This is what the plan of salvation is all about. Mercy vs Justice. You decide. See 2 Nephi 2:27 Alma could have stayed in his pain and anguish. He could have let Satan bring him down and tell him that the Atonement couldn't help him now. He could have quit and felt unworthy of the Lord's help. But he didn't - he cried out for help. And help came.

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

What a marvelous experience this must have been - such a contrast to what he had been experiencing! He then sees God upon his throne surrounded by concoures of angels. Alma LONGS to be there. Compare that to his previous desire to cease to exist before having to appear before God and be judged! The effects of repentance can be immediate. Alma then comes to and rises up and exclaims that he has been born of God.

Alma labors all his days to save his people and to teach the word of God. The Lord supports him in all his afflctions:

27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.

Remember Alma is still teaching Helaman. He is telling him and us that bad things happen to good people, but if you trust in the Lord he will deliver you. He adds to his testimony the testimony of their fathers. Reminding us again to: Read the Scriptures -> Hope -> Faith / Trust in the Lord -> Blessings ->Rinse and Repeat.

Alma continues talking to Helaman in Chapter 37 and that will be discussed shortly. In this short lesson Alma has taught us the following:

1. Learn the gospel - it will keep you safe, bring you to remembrance of God, bring hope and faith
2. Repent - Take advantage of the Atonement, don't let the despair prevent you from calling out for Christ's help
3. Teach our own children
4. Teach those around us of the plan of salvation - it is a great way to obtain repentance.
5. Trust in the Lord - he will deliver you.

I look forward to any questions and comments.

Introduction

I decided to expand my blogging horizons. To that effect I started my second blog. This blog will focus on teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I will focus (at least in the beginning) on publishing blogs that relate to the current lesson in the Gospel Doctrine class that I teach in the Acacia Ward.